Pin spotter and setter for bowling-alleys.



. m. 814,8 97. I PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

.. J. o. BAOKUS. v

PINSPOTTER AND SBTTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS.

Arruonlon 311.31) 11,111.31, 1905. I

' sums-enm- 1.

\ No. 814,8 97. I PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

'- I J.'G.-BAGKUS. 1

PINSPOTTER AND SETTER FOR BOWLING ALL'EYS.

. APPLIGATIOIN FILED 11.31, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.,

31 wzntoz .To=all whom itimay'cortcern: a

JOHN C. BACKUS, F SMETHRQRT, PENNSYLYANIA. 1 ,Pm SPOTTE'B AND S-ETTERFOR OWLING LLEYS;

Be it known'that I, JQHNC. BAoKUs, aciti 2611 of .the Unitedfitates,residing at Smethfollowing is a-spccification. p s In apparatus-of thischaracter acarrier for 1 to port, the .county of McKean and State of,Bennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im roveinents in PinSpotters and Setters :for l3owling Alleys, of which the the .pinsis.anessential element, and for convemence thessaid carrier iscounterbalanced preferably by Wei ht, which. servesto automatically.return it e carrier-to normal positionafter;placingthezpins upon thealley and to prevent a .too rapidde'scent of the carrier when .moving toset the pins.

This invention provides a novel counterbalance forthe carrierwhichexerts a variable modiiying influencethroughout the travel ofthecarrierin; each direction, the resistance adually increasing throughout thefirsthalfofthe'descent' of the carrier and'proportionately decreasing asthe carrier. complctesitsdownwardtravel to deposit the pins 1 upon the.bed "of the alley.

feriorcushioning the carrier at the limit of its movementineachidirection and serving to give aniinitial impetus to thecounterbalance.onitsireturn-movement forresetting the carrier;

, V combination with.the-carrier, shifting.mech 'anism ofpeculiarconstruction for arighting The invention also-furthercontemplates,

the-.pins at the .pro or .time to insure their d sliver-y upon the aley, said shifting =means consisting .of parallel rods journaled to thecarrienand having crank portions opposite to j--'t he.respective pinopenings of the carrier and preferably connected in series for simultane.ous .operationand adapted to be actuated when the. carrier .reachesthe, predetermined point in its descent to safely a'ndfproperly.placeithe pins upon the bed of the.alley.f

The invention further embodies pin-guides to assureacc'ura'cy inpositioning the pins s .For a full description of the invention and themerits thereof and also to acquire a when setupon the'alley, said guidescomprising yieldablejcomplemental parts which arecontrolled by theQpinsboth when shifted and when passing fromthe carrier to the alley..

knowledge of the-details of construction of the means for effectingtheresult, reference is to be had to the following description and a 2a1pa y s= n s n hi h.

I gpecification of Letters Patent.

ratus embodying the invention; Fig. "2 is a central longitudinal sectionof the carrier,

ism. Fig. 3 1s a side view of the counterebal, ance,.buffer., andactuating mechanism for the pin-shifting means, illustrating a portionof the carrier. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the normalposition of x the ,parts receivethe pins priorflto placing them upon ofa ortion of the pin-carrier,-s owingthe slir'a le pin-gui 'es. showingthe relation of the complemental members of the pin-gui( es whenclearing the pins after the same have been deposited upon the alley.

Corresponding and like parts are referred reference characters.

The carrier is mounted for vertical move ment and is directed in itsdescent and ascent v by. guides- 2, which are pendent ,from'an Theinvention further contemplates a' bufoverhead beam 3 or other suitablesupport,

struction and is approximatelyof triangular when set, so as to occupythe smallest amount of space possible, Pin-openings 5-are .pro-

cide with the spots or positions of the pins.

cording to its mounting, and preferab remains arallel to a givenposition and with orotherwiseatta'ched to the guides 2,

; ratented l t [arcti Application 515a use '31, 1905. seen No. 253,133.i

showing" thepin'shifting and guide mechanwhen the carrier; is'elevatedand a apted to the bed of the alley. Fig.5 is a to plan view Fig-6 is a('etail view said guides being braced by means of stays'3.

The carrier 1 may be of any substantial con- 1 I 9 form to correspond tothe outline of thepins vided in the-carrier and are located-to c'oin- I'The carrier is moved toward and from the bed of the alley in anydeterminate-wayae ,the be of the alley, so as to place ,thepins squarelythereon. Arock-shaft 6 is arra .ed some distanceabove the bed of'the aeytransversely thereof and is mounted in.bear-- ings 7., consistingofblocksshackled, clipfied, ars are fast' to' end portions of therock-shaft ti, each'consisting of arms 8 and 9 of different lengths andprojecting in. opposite directions. i The'arms 9 are'supplied withweights 1 0,3 1 which serve to counterbalance the carrier. and its load.The Weights 10 may beadjustable f ,:.on the arms 9 to providefor'adjustmentof Figure-1 is .a perspective viewof-an apps- 7 5 to inthe following descriptionand indicated in all the views of the drawingsby the sameloo } shaft 6, thereby holding the carrier n suspension whileplacing the pinsthereon and during the time that the alley is in use.The weighted arms 9 are pendent, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1,whenthe carrier is elevated, and the effect veness of the counterbalance isless than the combined weight of the carrier, pins, and adjunctiveparts,so that when the carrier is released and started .on its downwardtravel it will continue to move by reason of the preponderence of weightuntil arrested by contact with the bed ,of the alley. As the carrierdescends the rock-shaft 6 is turned and the weights 10 move upward andexert an increasing resistance proportionate to the increase of leverageof the arms 9. At the same time the leverage of the arms 8, from whichthe carrier is suspended, proportionately increase. The leverage of thearms 8 and 9 varies in inverse ratio during the first part of thedescent of the carrier until said arms occupy a horizontal position,when the leverage o the arms varies in an opposite ratio during thecompletion of the downward movement of the carrier. In other words,during the movement of the wei hts from a pendentposition to ahorizontal p ane passed through the axis of the shaft 6 their leverageincreases, and as said weights pass from said horizontalplane to aperpendicular osition above the shafts 6 their effective everagedecreases. This is true of the leverage of the arms 8, only in aninverse order.

A buffer 14 is provided for neutralizing any shock and graduallychecking the movement of the carrier in' its travel in each direction.This bufler also serves to give an initial impetus to the carrier uponits return after depositing the pins upon the alley. For convenience thebuffer 14 exerts its controlling influence upon the rock-shaft 6, andfor this purpose said rock-shaft is supplied with an arm 15, which isfast thereon. The buffer in its simplest form consists of a springclevis,

one end being connected to the arm 15 and the opposite end to theoverhead framework or support, which in the resent instance consists ofa transverse ro necting-the guides 2. The upper end of the buffer isattached to the rod or .bar 16 by.

means of a connector 17 loose on said bar, so

as to swing and adapt itself to the directionof strain as the arm1-5.changes its position .the carrier and journale or' bar 16, con-'incident to the turning of the rock-shaft 6 in its bearings 7. Theconnection 18 between the buffer and the arm 15 is extensible andcomprises a turnbuckle 19, whereby provision is had for var ing theeffectiveness of the buffer by regu ating the tension of its spring.When the carrier 1 is elevated, the buffer is under a slight tension,and upon the descent of the carrier and as the same is approaching thelimit of its downward travel the buffer is subjected to tension, whichserves the dual function of relieving shock and giving an initialimpetus to the carrier upon its return stroke, thereby carrying theweights or counterbalances past a dead-point.

Upon the top side of the carrier is arranged a series of abutments orstops 20 and longitudinal ribs 21, the latter -being disposed inparallel relation and the abutments or stops 20 located in line with theforward sides of the pin-openings 5, so as-to engage with the foot ofthe pins 22 and properly position the- The longitudinal ribs 21 andabutsame. ments 20 may e provided in any manner and constitute means toinsure correct position of the pins, so that they may be pro erly andpositively set u on the bed of t e alley in the operation of t emachine.

The shiftin' means for arighting the pins comprises ro s 23, arran edtransversely of thereto and 'provided in their length with crankportions 24, upon which the pins rest when placed upon the carrier. Therods 23 may be provided at one or both ends with crank-arms 25, whichare connected in series by means of a rod or bar 26, so as to cause theseries of rods 23 to turn in unison. Operating rods or bars-27 haveacrank connection with one of the rods 23 and are provided with stops 28to come in contact with corresponding stops 29 and cause rocking oftherods 23 as the carrier settles at the limit of its downward travel, withthe result that the crank portions 24 areof the rods between the loopsbeing j ournaled to the carrier in any manner, preferably by beingmounted in the ribs 21. The open ends of the loops orcrank portions '24are adjacent to the res ective pin- 0 enings,

thereb permitting t e pins to rea 'ly ass.

throug said opemngs in the operation 0 the ap aratus.

he pin-guides cooperating with the car- 33, referably arranged uponopposite'sides,

neicomprise complemental members 32- and of t e carrier and groupedabout the re-' spective pin-openings, usually three comple-- mentalmembers be ng provided to a group,

- --\;although the number maybe-varied. The

' guide members 33 appearas shortflegs and are pivotally connected attheir up er'ends to t under side of the carrier an are arranged withreference to the pin-openings and pins so as to touchthe sides of thelatter 'and insure their correct position upon the i "spots, of thealley; The guide members 33 arm34, firmly attached thereto and extendedupward-through an opening 35 of the carrier and having engagement at itsupper end with the sliding guidev member 32. vThe springarm 34 ispreferably formed of wire, which s Each of the guide members 32 isslidably mounted upon the carrier and is formed with 'a longitudinalslot 37, through which passes a screw or like fitted fastening 38, bymeans of which the member is held place and, rep-- erly directed in itsreciprocatingor s ding movements. .The endof thegulde member .32adjacent tofthe pin-openingfi conforms thereto,-as shown most elearlyf1nFig.- 5, and is provided with a pendent portion 39 to enterthe"pin-(Iipening and provide a sufilcient' ace forfcontact with the pin toextent of su obviateinjury theret0.-, When the carrier is I clear 'ofpins, the pivoted guide members' 33 hangm an approximately verticalposition,

as indicated mostclearly in Fig.6, and the inner ends of theguidemembers 32 project a short distance into the pin-openings. When a thepins pass through openingsfi, their lower a is outward, therebymovin'gthe/upper ends of T f the spring-arms 34 away from t tapered ends comingin-contact with the. inner ends 'ofthe-guide members'32 force them ingsand corres ondin 1y forcing the lower ends-of thegui e mem ers 33inward, so as s v.to engagewlth and bear against the sides of the lower'portion'of the pins .to'properly p a si-tion and'steady them,' ,theguide members shownmost clearly in Fig. 2. t V 55 Fig. 1 shows a pinspotter and settercon- A structed in accordance with fthis invention,the parts being shown in the relation which r, they assume when thecarrier is elevated 6 above the pin end 40 of the bowling-alle to,

32 51 M133 assuming the relative positions as receive the pins reliminarto placing t em upon the spots 0 the alley ed. It beingTasiz'sumed thatthe carrier is loaded with a set',of' pins and it beingrequired todeposit the same upon the alley, theveeights 10 are moved.for-- wardaslight distance to *break the iointof stops 29 the pin-shiftingmechanism auto.- matically returns to a normal position, this evpin-openpass a pe endicular line extending through the axis 0 the shaft6, when the carrier W111 descend by reason of excess of Weight. .As

the carrier ap roaches the bed of the alley contact wit from a recumbentinto a' vertical position, when by gravitative force they slip throughAs the pins .pass through their respective openings the uide members 32are moved outward and t e lower'ends of the uide members 33 are forcedinward, ,byyielding pressure, vdue to the sprin -arms '34,there-=.ycentr'alizing and correct y positionin the pins upon the alley. At thistime the. weights- 10 have moved from a pendent osition into a i anupright osition "and the roc shaft 6 has coiled intermediate of itsends, as shown at- 36, toincrease the resiliency ofthe. arm.

made aha f-revolution, so' as to throw-the arm from a forward ositiontoa rearward h a position, with the resu t that the buffer 14 is subjectedto tension .both to ease the final downward movement ofthe carrier andto throw the weights 10 forward of a line pass- 'ing vertically throughthe axis of the shaft6,

S as to give an initial impetus -'to the carrier on its upwardmovementwhen returning to a .the carrier, and the upper ends of the links 12 i lthe pin-openings-b and-settle upon the alley.

normal; osition; The action of the buffer when being momentarilysubjectedto tension andreacting to start the carrier on its returntravel results in a pause in the movement of 10 thecarri'er sufiicientto steady the'pins upon a the alley and insure their correct position.As the carrier begins its ascentand the stops-28 of the rods 27'tend tomove away from the,

being due to the; weightjofthe crank portions 24, whichineline-sufiiciently to causethem to gravitate when releasedv from thepins and the action of the cobperatin stops 28 and 29..

-'When the carrier is'relieve of the weight of the pins, .it isautomatically returned to a force of the weights or counterbalance 10.

5 When the carrier be ins its upward-movement, the guidemem ers 32 slidedownward (normal position .by reason of the superior upon therapidly-converged sides of the pins,

thereby permitting the lower ends 1 of' the guide members 23 toswing'outward, so as to clear the pins. "Should it become necessary or aplayer demand the lowering of the car-' the guide members 32 are movedoutward the lower ends of the guide, members 33 are pressed inward,thereby shiftin any ofgthe pins that may have-become disp aced. It is tobe understood that under these conditions the carrier is lowered byovercoming the g perior wei ht of the counterbalance 10, which may be eected by hand, as by pulling upon' the arms 8 or in any elective way.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claime as new is 1. Inapparatus for placing pins upon the bed of a bowling-alle thecombination of a carrier for receiving t e pins and movable to ward andfrom the bed of the alley, a variable counterbalance therefor, andconnecting means between said carrier and counterbalance having avariable effective leverage.

2. In apparatus for placing pins upon the bar, and connecting meansbetween the up per arm of said bar and the carrier.

3. In apparatus for placing pins upon the.

bed ofa bowling-alle the combination of a carrier for receiving t e pinsand movable toward and from the bed of the alley, a rockshaft, bars fastto opposite end portions of the rock-shaft to turn therewith andcomprisin up er and lower arms, a weight: at-

tache ,to t e lower arm ,of the bars, and condirection and serving. toimpart an initial n'ecting means between the upper arm of said bars andthe carrier. a

4. In apparatus for placing pins upon the bed of a bowling-alley, thecombinatlon of a car icr receiving the pins and movable toward and fromthe bed of the alley, a counterbalance for the carrier, and means forchecking the movement of the carrier in each movement to the carrieruponits return travel.

5. In mechanism for spottin and setting pins of a bowling-alley, the comination of a carrier movable toward and from the bed of the alley andadapted to receive the pins, a bar pivotally supported between its endsand normally occupying an a proximately vertical position, acounterballmce connected to thelower arm of said bar, means connectinthe upper arm of the bar with the carrier, an means operativelyconnected with said bar for easing the movement of the carrier in eachdirection and imparting an initial impetus thereto on its return travel.

- 6. In mechanism for s otting and setting pins of a bowling-alley, t ecombination of a carrier movable toward and from the bed of the alleyand adapted to receive the pins, a rock-shaft having an arm projectedtherefrom, a counterbalance for the carrier con nected with saidrock-shaft to impart movement thereto, a buffer having connectio'njatone end with the arm of the rock-shaft, and

means loosely connecting the other end of the buffer with an overheadsupport and mov- 'ings.

able to adapt itself to the direction of strain as the bufferchanges-its angular direction.

7. In mechanism for s ottin and setting pins of a bowling-alley, t e comination of a carrier movable toward and from the bed of the alley andadapted to receive the pins, a rock-shaft, a counterbalance for thecarrier having connection with said rock-shaft, an arm projected fromthe rock-shaft and fast thereto, and means having connection with saidarm for easing the movement of the carrier in each direction of itstravel and serving to give an initial impetus thereto on its returnmovement.

8. In mechanism for s ottingand. settingpins of a bowling-alley, t ecombination of a carrier movable toward and from the bed of the alleyand adapted to receive the pins, a

rock-shaft, bars fast to opposite end portions of the rock-shaft andnormally occupying a vertical position, weights attached to the lowerends of said bars, means connecting the upper ends of the bars with saidcarrier an i arm fast to and projected frdm" the rockshaft, an overheadsupport and a buffer having one end connecte .to said arm and itsopposite end loosely connected to said over-- 10. In a gin spotting andsetting mechanism for bow 'ing-alle s, the combination of a carrierprovided wit pin-openings and movable toward and from the bed of thealley, rods j ournaled' to the carrier and having portions bent intoloop form to provide crank portions, and actuating means for turning therods to throw the loop-shaped crankportions into an approximatel uprightpositlon for arighting pins and e ectlng discharge thereof through saidpin-openings.

. 11. In a pin spotting and settlng mechanism for bowling-alle s, thecombinatlon of a carrier provided wit pin-opemngs and movable toward andfrom the bed of the alley, rods journaled to 'the carrier andhav ngcrank portions for arighting and effecting discharge of the pins throughsaid pin-openings, means connectin the rods for simultaneous movement,an actuating means for turnin the rods.

,12. n a pin spotting and setting mechantheir dischargethrough saidpin-openism for bowling-alleys, the combination of a carrier providedwitlnpin-openings and movable toward and from the bed ofthe alley,

pin-shifting means mounted upon the car-' rie'r for effecting adischarge'of the pins upon the bed of the alley, an operating-rodconnected with the pin-shifting means and .pro vided with a stop, and acorresponding stop projected from the overhead framework.

14'. In a pin spotting and setting mechan ism for bowling-alle s, thecombination of a 4 car ier adapte carrier provided wit pin-openings andmovable toward and from the bed of the alley, pin-shifting means mountedupon the carrier to effect delivery of the pins upon the bed of thealley, slotted extensions projected from the overhead framework, andoperating-rods connected to' thepin-shifting means and passed throughthe slots of said extensions and provided with stops tov efiectactuation of the pin-shiftin means when the carrier has nearly reachethe limit of its movement toward the bedof the alley. I Y

15. Inmechanism for spottin 'and setting pins of bowlin -alleys, the comination of a to receive the pins and'movable toward and from the bed ofthe alley and provided with pin o enings, and pinguides for the openings0 the carrier com prising u per-and lower complemental parts or mem ersarranged, respectively, above I and below the carrier.

- 16. In mechanism for spottin and setting- .pins of bowlin -alleys, thecom ination of a carrier adapte to receive the pins and movable towardand from the bed of the alley and provided with in-openings, pin guidesfor the o enings of t e carrier comprising uper and ower complementalparts or memers, and spring connections between the a.

complemental gui'de-members.

. 17. In mechanism for spottin and setting pins of bowlin -alleys, thecom inat'ion of a carrier adapte to receive the pins and movable towardand from the bed of-the alley and provided with in-openings, pin-guidesfor the openings of t e carrier comprising upper and lower members orparts, and con-' necting means between corresponding upper and lowermembers to efiect a simultaneous 'pins of bowlin {a and provided with jn testimony whereof movement thereof in opposite directions, -saidmovement being controlled by the pins in their passage through thepin-openings:;

-18..In mechanism for spottin and setting pins of bowlin -"alleys',-thecombination of a carrier adapted to receive the pins and HJOVT abletoward. and-fro11'1,tl1e bed of the alley and plrovided within-openings, pin-guides for t e openings 0 the carrier comprisingcomplementalup'per and lower members, the upper members being the lowermembers pivotally mounted, and

connecting'means between corresponding up-" per and lower members toeffect simultaneous movement thereof in opposite directions. 19. Inmechanis for spottin and'setting lie ys, the com ination ofa carrieradapte to receive the pins and mov in-openings, pin-guides for t eopenings 0 the carrier com rising complemental members, one set of saimembers beingarran ed above the carrier and the other set locatdbelowthe carrier, and connecting means between corresponding u per and lowermembers extended across the p ane of thecarrier to effect simultaneousmoveslidably mounted and I able toward and from the-bed of the alley 4and royided with ment of said members in opposite (lirections.

20. In mechanism for spotting and setting pins of bowlin '-alleys, thecombination of -a carrier adapte to receive the pins and movable towardand from the bed of the alley for the o enings of t e carrier comprisingup er slidable members and lowerpivoted memers, and spring-arms attachedto the p1v- 'ot'ed members and extended through openings of the carrierand engaged with the sliding members, whereby corresponding membersreceive a simultaneous movement in posite directions and are controlledby pins in their passage 1ngs.

21,. ,In mechanism forr spotting and setting pins of bowlin -alleys, thecom ination of'a carrier adapted able toward and from and provided within -gui'des mounte u on the carrier and aving their inner en portionsextended into the respective pin-openings to be engaged by the pins, andspring means normallytendin to press the movable pin-guides inward.

afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHNQBACKUS. [1 8.1

Witriesseszg v 3 V. B. HIL YARn through the pin-openm-openings,pin-guides to receivethe pins and movthe bed of the alley in openings,movable

